School of Civil and Environmental Engineering: What is Civil Engineering

Civil engineering involves the planning, design, construction and management of the national infrastructure, that is, the basic structure of the world we live in.

Since the constructions of the pyramids, civil engineers have advanced civilisation and enhanced the quality of life. Today civil engineers design, construct, manage, operate and maintain the infrastructure that supports modern society including buildings, bridges, roads and highways, tunnels, airports, dams, ports and harbours, railways, new mines, water supply and sewerage schemes, irrigation systems and flood mitigation works.

Engineering is creativity constrained by nature, cost, concerns of safety, environmental impact, ergonomics, reliability and other factors. The engineers of tomorrow need the skills of their predecessors as well as many more, and in broader areas.

Civil engineers have an aptitude for engineering science and mechanics, mathematics and physics, while also being able to creatively solve open ended problems using systematic thinking and individual flair. Civil engineering is an increasingly popular career choice for women.

Most civil engineers become managers during their careers, and civil engineers occupy top management positions in many private and public organisations. Therefore working successfully in teams and managing people are also important attributes of civil engineers.

The profession is very broad, with opportunities to work in many specialist activities, including:

Structural engineering - analysing, designing and constructing structures from a wide range of engineering materials - including reinforced and prestressed concrete, structural steel, timber, masonry, polymers, etc.

Geotechnical engineering - soil and rock mechanics; foundations; stability of cut and natural slopes; tunnels; dams. Geotechnical engineers study the interaction of structures with the ground they stand on.

Transport engineering - design of roads, highways, railways, and airports; traffic management and control, transport planning.

Water Engineering - hydrology; hydraulics; water supply; water and wastewater treatment; ports and harbours; coastal protection; groundwater. Water engineers look at rainfall and run-off, irrigation and drought, flood predictions, and water supply and treatment.

Construction and Management - construction technology, project management and management of resources. Construction engineers use technical and management skills to turn designs into reality.

As you can see there are as many avenues of civil engineering as there are issues affecting a community’s quality of life. In the modern world, civil engineers will meet the challenges of pollution, traffic congestion, drinking water and energy needs, urban redevelopment and community planning.

Civil engineering is an exciting and rewarding profession offering opportunities to take a leading role in projects that enhance the overall quality of life.

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What is Civil Engineering